New Jersey Giants - questions!

[BackyardBirds720]

I've been looking at various breeds lately... and came across the NJ Giants. They look very stately. I am wondering a few things about them:

Do they lay often?
Go broody much?
Good mothers?
Docile?
Good foragers?
Friendly?

I have had Buff Orps and Australorps before this - and they were very sweet. I may just go back to Australorps; but am not sure yet.

Thanks,

BB720

 

[ThinkingChickens]

I have a Jersey Giant (are they really New Jersey Giants? LOL) and she lays an egg a day since she started a week or so ago. The breed isn't known for being particularly broody. I can tell you she's my friendliest, but that only happened as she got closer to laying. She is cold hardy, tolerant, quiet, and a good forager.

Oh, here is her pic at 21 weeks


Ethel- Jersey Giant by Raven Wren Designs, on Flickr

 

[BackyardBirds720]

I think as of now it's a toss-up between Orpington, Australorp, or Jersey Giant. I am not sure which to get!! I would prefer only one of the three breeds. As when I had Orpington and Australorps they cross bred and the chickens were sex-linked (does this mean they can't re-produce?!?).

Are Giants good in hot/humid (Florida) weather?

I just want to have a friendly flock that can free-range and raise their own offspring from setting/nesting to mothering them. And roo's who are alert to predators - but not over zealous in attacking humans...

I am looking at getting 15 pullets and 2 cockerels from a hatchery. Last year I used Cackle out of Missouri and was fairly impressed... but it does not look like they have Jersey Giants... does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[yinepu]

I've had Jersey Giants for years.. mixed results on broodiness and being good mothers.. some were.. some weren't.. the hens all do seem to be docile (at least to me and my husband).. though one of our hens is the alpha hen in the coop. Average layers in my opinion and do fine foraging.
Roos are a different matter.. I would say about 75% of ours went to Freezer camp for being aggressive. So needless to say we only kept the nicer ones for the ladies.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
Between those three I prefer the Orps..

 

[ThinkingChickens]

I actually have all three of those breeds in my six. The Australorp and Orpington are still young. I can tell you that the Orp seems the most flighty. She is just six-seven weeks and already flies out of her enclosure (babies are separated) and up onto things. She's the sweetest chicken though. We don't have humidity but we do have 90-100 degree days and all three are doing fine.

 

[BackyardBirds720]

Quote:
Between those three I prefer the Orps..

Okay, and why would you say that you prefer the Orps above the others?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If you want them to be broody get orps.
But
I love Jersey Giants. I have Blacks and Blues and had Whites in the past. Very gentle, good foragers and mine rarely miss a day laying.
Mine have never gone broody.
I have contact info for breeders of all 3 colors in Missouri and Sandhill in Iowa has all three and his giants are a nice size.
All your choices will have a tougher time in the heat.

For heat you might think about Catalanas, Cubalayas or Penedesencas. All 3 are heat hardy, great foragers, avoid predators well and in my experience, not aggressive to humans

Delawares and Brahmas can handle heat fairly well and are very nice birds.

 

[BackyardBirds720]

Quote:
Thanks ChickenCanoe!!

Catalanas, Cubalayas, and Penedesencas - I have never heard of. Are they friendly? Good mothers? Go broody? Lay well? I'll research what I can about them.

I have heard of Delawares and Brahmas, they are good setters and mothers?

Would Speckled Sussex be good?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
Thanks ChickenCanoe!!

Catalanas, Cubalayas, and Penedesencas - I have never heard of. Are they friendly? Good mothers? Go broody? Lay well? I'll research what I can about them.

Delwares and Brahmas, they are good setters and mothers?

EDIT: Would Speckled Sussex be good?

All I know about Sussex is they're a good meat bird and very good layers. An English breed, they may not be as heat hardy.

Cubalayas and Brahmas are the most broody of those I mentioned and good mothers, Delawares can be broody too.
Catalanas and Penes are non-setters as a rule. With those you could get a couple orps to hatch out eggs. Ameraucanas are often broody too.
If choosing Cubalayas, don't consider a mixed flock but since they're good mothers you wouldn't need to. They thrive in heat and humidity.
Brahmas would be the friendliest. Cubalayas, catalanas and Penes avoid humans - hence not being aggressive. They tolerate my presence since they know I feed them.

Penedesencas and Catalanas come from the same region of Spain. Both are very good layers and Penes have about the darkest egg in the chicken world. Delawares can lay Jumbo eggs as do my JGs.
Cubalayas and Brahmas don't lay quite as many as the other 3 but still good.